Emil and the Detectives Movie Review (1964)

For today’s movie, I present a movie that I did not even know existed prior to this project. I’m always grateful for this project in allowing me the opportunity to watch new-to-me movies for the first time. For this project, I’m focusing on the story itself, including dialogue, character development, any subplots, how a story presents itself, the speed at which it moves, if it slows down unnecessarily, etc.

A Brief Summary

(Taken from D23)

Emil, on his first trip to Berlin, carries money to his grandmother, a mission of great responsibility, but a pickpocket cannot resist robbing the boy while he is napping on the bus. Awakening in time, Emil follows the crook and with the aid of a group of resourceful boys his age (the Detectives) comes upon a rendezvous with two master thieves who are engaged in a plan to rob the Bank of Berlin. Because of the pickpocket’s inability to resist petty theft, he causes the collapse of the big job they might have gotten away with had it not been for Emil and the Detectives.

What works

• “Introducing the Three Skrinks”
  • thoughts during first viewing: while I appreciate the specific intro in the opening credits, other than this movie are they that important to know?
    • post-movie finish: they were fabulous and I would watch them in other heists. 
• The narrator reminds me of Rod Serling. It’s like being told like an episode of the Twilight Zone.
  • The brief narration at the end still fits the tone from the beginning narration. I like that it was only really at the beginning and the end. It worked (a bit) but would have spoiled the movie if included throughout. 
• Having Emil get caught by the crooks, what an easy and smooth way to show what the crooks are up to. It would have been easy to show the audience what the crooks are up to, BUT not quite so easy when it actually came time to chase them down and stop them. Having Emil there was natural and fitting.
• It was certainly better the second viewing than it was the first. Was I possibly not paying attention as well as I should have during the first viewing? Yes, but nevertheless, I appreciated it more during the 2nd viewing.
• It doesn’t feel like too complex of a storyline which is great. They were able to have more fun with the Skrinks and the Detectives than if it were some complicated plot.
• I’m living for a good portion of the movie taking place in the ruins/sewers of Berlin. Solving a mystery/crime in old ruins? Sign me up!
• I love that Grundeis aka the Mole doesn’t say much. Reminds me of Buster Keaton with the focus on physical comedy.

What may or may not work

• While it is cool seeing how the kids have everything organized (even acting like adults at times), seriously the lack of adult supervision is nutty. Like I love how they’re so professional about everything, but seriously where are the adults?!
  • There are adults. The villains and the police are the main adults, with a couple of side adults as family members
  • The point being that Emil’s grandma, where’s the worry beyond her scene at the bus stop.
    • After watching further into the movie: Ah, his cousin covered up his being missing from the bus. That’s why she’s not freaking out. 
  • Much later in the film: So they do involve adults at times. Interesting. Adults like Officer Stucke, who is familiar with the kids. He’s a cool dude.
• The kids don’t have accents but the adults all have german accents.
  • Does that take away from the movie? Okay, no, no it doesn’t, but it was noticeable.

Honorable Mentions

• “Look, if someone takes something from me and I take it back, I’m not any thief.”
  • “Yes, you are. It’s really a moral issue.” -Professor (one of the kids)
• The kids remind me of the kids in Oliver Twist. Gustav is the Artful Dodger, the other kids are part of the gang, leaving Emil as Oliver of course.

Side Questions

• Why is this kid (Emil) alone? Obvs there would be no story if he was with someone, but still. I don’t know, I’m torn. On the one hand, I too would want to be considered responsible enough to carry the money for my grandma on a solo trip to visit her. On the other hand, as a kid, Emil becomes the perfect target for Grundeis to pickpocket.

Would I watch this movie again?

• It was fine. Like many others of Disney’s live-action movies from this decade and the previous, it got better towards the end, and while there were some happy moments for me as the viewer, unfortunately it’s just not enough on its own to pull me back in. However, like with others, if my friends want to watch this, I will watch it with them, no complaints.

If you’ve seen Emil and the Detectives, what are some of your thoughts? Share in the comments below!

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